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What do Uncle Sam and horror-movie star Freddy Krueger have in common? Not much, fortunately. But that could all change if an 8 percent cut kicks in Jan. 3 forcing furloughs curtailed services that impact everything from tax returns and Social Security claims to airline travel, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

First, I don't believe it's doomsday, unless somebody sets it up that way intentionally. For example, the press will make a big deal if any monument is closed, but there will be no reason for Park Service to shut it all down. UNLESS, politicians want something for TV. TSA Shutdown? Really? Not buying that either. Uncle Sam has added tons of employees the past few years, I say they'll make out better by not being trapped into a worse system than us old timers. In fact, getting cut now will be merciful because they'll get a little severance, can go back to school and get their Masters degree and get a better private sector job. How many FBI agents will lose their jobs? Very few I'd say. But Mike, that's what we depend on YOU to tell us.

Actually I think it might actually be a good thing f/ federal workers if the sequestration takes place. Not good f/ the country but in the long run good f/ us. If we are really needed and prefrom essential services once the layoffs, cutbacks, etc hit and essential services don't get done maybe our absence will be noticed and folks will start to think that they need us. Admittidly it might make things rough f/ some of us for at least a few days but as is occasionally said - NO PAIN - NO GAIN. I also wish that when there is no budget that EVERY federal worker be sent home not just the 'non-essential". Ground every plane, close every federal building, shut down the FBI, Social Security office, VA hospital, secret service agent, park range, weather service, etc. We are either all essential or none of us are. They can either pay us all or make specific decisions under law who keeps working not just play games.

Sequestration will hurt. Will hundreds of thousands of employees (contract and federal) be laid off? Doubtful. But, I see no hires, I see fuloughs, I see no overtime, no travel and a few things like that. IRS, for example, I have heard has 90% of it's budget as labor. So, if you want to heat and run buildings and have paper, there is not a lot you can cut there to make up the 8%. And is it really going to be 8%? There is a continuing resolution until March, Sequestration starts in January. While there are cuts in the budget with the continuing resolution, do you wait to cut the entire 8% until after March? Or start in January? Meanwhile is the 8% of the entire years budget, or calendar year, or what? So if the budget is cut 1% until March, how much has to be cut from March to October to get to the total 8%? Mind boggleing..........................And the biggest hit to IRS budget will be if Congress remains undecided, again, on the tax code until late December. Drives the programers crazy, and costs money, delays refunds, etc. Now the only people generally filing in mid January are those with just 1 or 2 W-2s and nothing else. Anyone waiting on Mortgage Interest Statements or Investment Accounts generally don't get those until almost February anyway, but the big refunds from the Earned Income Tax Credit go out early. Question is are those people who vote?

Add to that:Enforcement will take a hit because there will be less enforcement due to budget cuts. Then we will have less respect for tax laws and less compliance. That will mean less tax revenue and thus higher deficits. Then there will be bigger cuts or increased taxes to make up for the less revenue. Sounds like a circle to me. Yes, it will hurt, but I can retire.